[Chicago Fashion Event] Modern Vintage Chicago events all weekend!

Attention all Chicago vintage fiends, the only place you need to be this weekend is at the Modern Vintage Chicago show.  Check out the deets below and hope to see you all there!

When: April 20th & 21st from 10am to 5pm
Where: 1340 W. Washington St. (Free Parking onsite)

[Chicago Dining] Fashionable Brunching at Little Goat!

In my continued quest to petition for 'Brunching' to be added as the next Olympic sport I've been staying busy with a rigorous training schedule (I know, I know it's not realistic but hey if they cancelled wrestling you never know right?).

My most recent visit was to Stephanie Izard's latest addition, Little Goat.  It did not take much prodding for me to add Little Goat to my long list of Chicago treasures to nosh at.  One of my absolute favorite restaurants is Little Goat's older sister, A Girl and The Goat.  Foolish me believed that I had experienced a number of food-gasms before but did not realize until that moment that I ate Izard's 'sauteed green beans' that I was experiencing my real first.  So naturally once I heard that she was opening an extension to her food concept with an American diner it was a definite given that I'd be making a visit.

Little Goat is nod to the vintage American diners of the past with a wide variety of food options and most importantly breakfast is served all day long.  The key difference of what separates Little Goat from any other diner is that everything is made from scratch.  This is Izard's signature attention to detail that swept me off my feet in the first place.

Not sure what to wear? Don't worry, I have you covered.  Draw some outfit inspiration from key Spring/Summer trends that you can wear now:

Items pictured above: ONE by Marna Ro Maxi Dress/ Givenchy Shark Tooth Earring/ Clover Canyon Printed Blazer/ Maison Martin Margiela Ankle Boots/ Givenchy Braided Shark Tooth Bracelet 


Check out my pics from my visit to Little Goat:

[Chicago Fashion] Crystal B Designs Fall/Winter 2013 Collection!

Crystal Simms, visionary and lead designer behind Chicago fashion label, Crystal B. Designs showcased her "Walk the Line" Fall/Winter 2013 collection.  The collection is an extension of her Spring/Summer 2013 collection in which she transitions the looks into a darker more masculine tone.

Simms redefines masculine overtones with the exaggerated shoulders while at the same balancing this with the figure hugging and sleek feminine silhouettes.  Her collection echoes a number of mini trends that were present at the fashion week presentations with structured layering, cut-outs and the blue centric color palette.

Check out my favorite looks from Crystal B Designs Fall/Winter 2013 Collection:

[Birthstone Baubles] April: Diamond!

Happy Birthday to all you Aries & Taurus's!  April's birthstone is the stunning diamond gemstone.  It is the hardest gemstone and is definitely one of the most valued.  After all, Marilyn didn't just coin the phrase "Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend" for nothing right?

So start the year long celebration of your birth now and check out the 12 amazing pieces I've picked out to help you do it in style! P.S. Yes I picked out Black Diamond options because why not be unique right? xo

Sheila Johnson Spring 2013 Collection: Contes- An Account of a Woman's Journey!

Pictured Above: Rwanda Woman/Mezi Kafe/Crimson

*Photo Credit: Shelia Johnson Collection


When I first started CSM I discovered that there were so many different facets of fashion that I could cover on my blog platform.  In trying to sort out what areas were pertinent to defining who CSM was I looked to myself.  I am a Tongan American female who has been influenced by fashion through the eyes of my strong, stylish, yet traditional Tongan mother who adored the fashions of her cultural heritage but also embraced the fashions of the west.  With this I decided to hone in on a few specific areas of the industry that speak directly to not only my love of fashion and style but also to the impact that it has on cultures world wide.

Designer Sheila Johnson's latest scarf collection for Spring 2013, 'Contes-An Account of a Woman's Journey' showcases this amazing woman's voyage through Haiti, Rwanda and Uganda.  The collection features Johnson's own photographs digitally printed onto her beautiful scarves comprised of 100% modal fabric.  These unique and beautifully handcrafted scarves are not the only treasure, in fact a portion of the proceeds from the sales of Johnson's Spring 2013 Collection will be donated to The Haiti Artisan Project.  This is a division of Donna Karan's Urban Zen Foundation, a charity dedicated to preserving cultures in the face of globalization.

Check out Sheila Johnson's entire Spring 2013 'Contes-An Account of a Woman's Journey' here: www.sheilajohnsoncollection.com

S.I.L.K Fall 2013 Collection: The Cosmopolitan Woman!

Yesterday S.I.L.K, designed by Michele Lee, showcased their Fall 2013 collection inspired as the uniform for the 'Cosmopolitan Woman'.  The collection is a compilation of a strong color palette of earthy hues coupled with bold floral prints, leather and embellished accents.

The silk and silk based fabrications used in this collection are true to it's namesake.  Lee's choice to use this luxe and supple fabric to create sleek and ladylike silhouettes that are perfect for work and because of the versatility of the silhouettes can easily transition to night.

Check out my 10 favorite looks from Michele Lee's S.I.L.K Fall 2013 collection:

Belted Perfection!

Drawing major spring inspiration from Zana Bayne Leather's 'Peplum' Belt.  The belt gives you the versatile option to instantly update any ensemble to one of the most popular mini-trends we've seen on the red carpet as of late.

Always one to adhere to the belief that more options are always better, I've found a very similar yet still very unique option in comparison and want you to decide: Which is more inspirational for Spring, Splurge (Zana Bayne Leather) or Steal (ASOS)?